[ and louis lets out a breath he hasn't realised that he's been holding, because,
albert looks happy.
and it's the kind of genuine happiness that louis hasn't seen from albert for many, many years, because the last time that he'd been allowed to see albert had been in the worst of circumstances, just the briefest of glimpses from behind albert's room in the tower, but
he's happy, and louis can't bring himself to intrude on albert's happiness, can't bring himself to ruin his beloved older brother's revelation.
so he smiles back, even if it doesn't fully reach his eyes. ]
Of course. [ it's force of habit that keeps him standing, even as he moves around closer to push the plate of food closer to albert, gesturing at him to eat before it gets cold. ] They must be special.
[ they must be, because the last time louis had seen albert this enamoured with someone, it had been with william. ]
[Albert wants to say that he is happy, even if things are uncertain. That things won't always go his way, but with all of them, he's sure he can survive, and live well.
He does catch the sadness in Louis' eyes, and while he still doesn't know the cause behind the terrible heaviness he feels whenever Louis looks at him, he imagines it has something to do with his own fate that parallels William's. He can't change that, he's sure. There is nothing about the future that awaits him that he'll be able to alter, if they have already lived it.
It's devastating. This place becomes his hope, then, his hope to be with them as brothers and people, rather than as three parts of one criminal.
He eats several bites of the breakfast--something he always misses when he's not near Louis--then smiles at him, just a touch more brightly.]
He is as remarkable as he is generous, as handsome as he is kind.
[Where does he even begin?]
He cooks. [There. Something comfortable.] Extraordinarily well, though his Yorkshire pudding doesn't hold a candle to yours. Every time I told him about one of my favorite dishes of yours, he'd try to make it for me. He... brought me roses once, and we danced together. [Albert aches just thinking about it, what a beautiful moment it was, that time that he first admitted to having feelings at all.] When I see him, my heart races, and my knees threaten to give out.
[ there are some things that louis can never bring himself to say. not now, not when there's something in him that still aches, quietly, when albert's smile lights up his features in a way that louis hasn't seen in years,
and he never wants albert to stop smiling like that, again.
it just cements his resolve to never say anything about the fate that he knows has come to pass, something that maybe they can avoid here, in this strange new world that has come to pass. it's the least he can do.
but for now, he smiles back at albert, listening attentively like he always has before. albert's smile has always been contagious, after all, and louis has seen his older brother wield it like a well-used weapon to placate the almost predatory ladies of the nobility, to keep them at bay. it's different, seeing it be used for albert's own happiness instead. ]
I'm not even that good, really. [ just a little bit awkwardly. because his own cooking skills were more out of necessity than any kind of passion, so louis has always viewed those as more utilitarian than anything. to be compared like this-- louis can't help but go the slightest bit pink, although his own expression is torn between flattery and awkwardness. ] But I'm glad that you're at least being fed well while you were alone.
Does he-- [ a pause, and louis reaches over, almost as if to reach for albert's hand, before he thinks better of it, withdraws, lets his hand fall to his side instead. the question that he switches to instead is said a little bit more delicately: ] Is he who you went to visit last night?
[ logically, it's not hard to draw the conclusion, given the strength of the emotions louis had felt from albert. but if it's as serious as albert makes it out to be, then louis wants that reassurance, too. ]
[Even Albert is amazed that he's found some measure of happiness here. It seems impossible, but he really is content with certain aspects of his life, and one of those aspects happens to be his romantic pursuits. God forbid his dear brothers find out he's courting more than one person... But he's glad that at least Louis seems to understand, or at least accept more than William has.
They should know by now, Albert thinks, believes with his whole heart, that he's theirs before anyone else's. He's killed for them and with them, after all. No one can take away a bond forged in blood, no matter how hard they try. Albert will always find his way back to William and Louis.
His smile only grows as he sees Louis smile back.]
Nonsense. You'll always be my favorite cook. [And Albert at least has the decency to admit:] I haven't been letting him take care of me, though. Not as much as I probably should have. I am still rather hopeless in the kitchen, and I'm keeping the local restaurants quite well employed.
[Opening his hand, he places it on the table for Louis to take. It's nonsense for him to not reach out when he can.]
Please, Louis. Don't shy away from me. I'm still yours, and William's.
[And then he looks wistful, if only just.]
I went to see him, yes. I wanted to tell him some things I'd kept hidden. I stayed for a while, and it was quite the emotional affair, on my part. But he soothed me and understood me better than I even understand myself. I have this... unfortunate tendency to make things too stark in my mind, when subtlety is more called for. You know that about me.
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albert looks happy.
and it's the kind of genuine happiness that louis hasn't seen from albert for many, many years, because the last time that he'd been allowed to see albert had been in the worst of circumstances, just the briefest of glimpses from behind albert's room in the tower, but
he's happy, and louis can't bring himself to intrude on albert's happiness, can't bring himself to ruin his beloved older brother's revelation.
so he smiles back, even if it doesn't fully reach his eyes. ]
Of course. [ it's force of habit that keeps him standing, even as he moves around closer to push the plate of food closer to albert, gesturing at him to eat before it gets cold. ] They must be special.
[ they must be, because the last time louis had seen albert this enamoured with someone, it had been with william. ]
no subject
He does catch the sadness in Louis' eyes, and while he still doesn't know the cause behind the terrible heaviness he feels whenever Louis looks at him, he imagines it has something to do with his own fate that parallels William's. He can't change that, he's sure. There is nothing about the future that awaits him that he'll be able to alter, if they have already lived it.
It's devastating. This place becomes his hope, then, his hope to be with them as brothers and people, rather than as three parts of one criminal.
He eats several bites of the breakfast--something he always misses when he's not near Louis--then smiles at him, just a touch more brightly.]
He is as remarkable as he is generous, as handsome as he is kind.
[Where does he even begin?]
He cooks. [There. Something comfortable.] Extraordinarily well, though his Yorkshire pudding doesn't hold a candle to yours. Every time I told him about one of my favorite dishes of yours, he'd try to make it for me. He... brought me roses once, and we danced together. [Albert aches just thinking about it, what a beautiful moment it was, that time that he first admitted to having feelings at all.] When I see him, my heart races, and my knees threaten to give out.
no subject
and he never wants albert to stop smiling like that, again.
it just cements his resolve to never say anything about the fate that he knows has come to pass, something that maybe they can avoid here, in this strange new world that has come to pass. it's the least he can do.
but for now, he smiles back at albert, listening attentively like he always has before. albert's smile has always been contagious, after all, and louis has seen his older brother wield it like a well-used weapon to placate the almost predatory ladies of the nobility, to keep them at bay. it's different, seeing it be used for albert's own happiness instead. ]
I'm not even that good, really. [ just a little bit awkwardly. because his own cooking skills were more out of necessity than any kind of passion, so louis has always viewed those as more utilitarian than anything. to be compared like this-- louis can't help but go the slightest bit pink, although his own expression is torn between flattery and awkwardness. ] But I'm glad that you're at least being fed well while you were alone.
Does he-- [ a pause, and louis reaches over, almost as if to reach for albert's hand, before he thinks better of it, withdraws, lets his hand fall to his side instead. the question that he switches to instead is said a little bit more delicately: ] Is he who you went to visit last night?
[ logically, it's not hard to draw the conclusion, given the strength of the emotions louis had felt from albert. but if it's as serious as albert makes it out to be, then louis wants that reassurance, too. ]
no subject
They should know by now, Albert thinks, believes with his whole heart, that he's theirs before anyone else's. He's killed for them and with them, after all. No one can take away a bond forged in blood, no matter how hard they try. Albert will always find his way back to William and Louis.
His smile only grows as he sees Louis smile back.]
Nonsense. You'll always be my favorite cook. [And Albert at least has the decency to admit:] I haven't been letting him take care of me, though. Not as much as I probably should have. I am still rather hopeless in the kitchen, and I'm keeping the local restaurants quite well employed.
[Opening his hand, he places it on the table for Louis to take. It's nonsense for him to not reach out when he can.]
Please, Louis. Don't shy away from me. I'm still yours, and William's.
[And then he looks wistful, if only just.]
I went to see him, yes. I wanted to tell him some things I'd kept hidden. I stayed for a while, and it was quite the emotional affair, on my part. But he soothed me and understood me better than I even understand myself. I have this... unfortunate tendency to make things too stark in my mind, when subtlety is more called for. You know that about me.